MY SON STARTED DIVIDING UP MY LIFE WHILE I WAS STILL ALIVE. BY LUNCHTIME, MY CARDS WERE DEAD, MY ONLINE BANKING WAS LOCKED, AND I WAS STANDING AT A WHOLE FOODS REGISTER WITH A BASKET FULL OF DINNER I SUDDENLY COULD NOT AFFORD.

« What does that mean? » I asked.

« It means he may have exceeded his legal authority. »

Those words settled over me like armor.

For the first time all day, I wasn’t reacting.

I was thinking.

Frederick continued.

« Several transfer requests were flagged automatically. The system detected attempts to access legacy trust holdings created by your late husband. »

My grip tightened on the steering wheel.

Warren.

Even five years after his death, he was still protecting me.